


Aloe Vera

by solarbishop



Series: Sleep Habits [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff, Good Guy Gladio, M/M, Mutual Pining, Size Difference, Sunburn, mentions of cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 22:46:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9570104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarbishop/pseuds/solarbishop
Summary: The sun is brutal, and Gladio attempts to shield Noctis from burning his fair skin.





	

**Author's Note:**

> i do recommend that you read the last little ficlets, but honestly the only thing you need to understand is that gladio is a sleep-cuddler
> 
> enjoy!
> 
> kudos/comments are lovely, i thank you all! .u.

Gladio observes his peaceful expression from the corner of his eye. The weather is rather hot for a such long drive in the regalia, and the heated winds blow through Noctis’s hair. It is bemusing how Noctis could endure such sweltering heat as he naps, yet it is also worrying how the sun is beating such fair skin. He will definitely have sunburns later, and Ignis will scold the prince for not applying sunscreen before they departed camp. Gladio supposes that the brat may deserve it, but sunburns are a pain in the ass. 

Gladio can see the sweat that rolls down his temple, but it is difficult to distinguish his shallow breathing. A flush pinches the prince’s cheeks, and his small hands are loosely folded in his lap. There is something mesmerizing in watching those parted lips, pink, slightly chapped, and probably sweet, and Gladio’s mind unwittingly wanders from his control. 

He wonders if Noctis has ever kissed another girl, or anyone, really.

Gladio catches himself, shaking his head, wondering how that thought barged into his mind so suddenly, so rudely. But as much as Gladio would like to pretend, the thought was not entirely unwelcome.

Gladio shifts in his seat, cursing the stickiness of this hot weather, and he spares a glance to his friends in the front seats. Seems like Ignis and Prompto are bickering about whether or not the radio should be on. He cannot exactly tell; the car is driving too fast to hear anything distinct, and Gladio does not care enough to scooch forward to listen to their conversation. Instead, he redirects his focus to Noctis, and he faintly wishes he could shield his skin from the cruel sunlight.

An idea pops into mind.

It requires some maneuvering whilst he wears a seatbelt, but Gladio does manage to remove his own jacket. He is thankful for the cool burst of wind that hits his newly exposed skin, but the heat is quick to return. Carefully, Gladio leans over to place his jacket over Noctis’s vulnerable arms, and he tucks some of the fabric into his seat belt so that the wind does not carry his jacket away. Gladio takes some relief knowing that this is the best he could do for Noctis, but he concedes that the prince will most likely suffer a sunburn across his face.

Gladio notices that Ignis is giving him a stoic expression through the rear view mirror. Gladio half-heartedly shrugs, unable to read the man, and he sinks into his seat.

 

A couple of hours later, the party manages to find a decent motel to crash for the night, and that’s the good news. The bad news is that Gladio is enduring the burn of redden skin along his shoulders and biceps.

Fucking fantastic, he would say. Of course he would forget something like that.

Yet, he probably would have removed his jacket for Noctis’s sake even if he hadn't neglected to take those details into account.

Gladio gets out of the regalia, moving around the car to Noctis’s side. Dismay strikes Gladio when he notices that Noctis is looking a little rosy himself, as a sunburn crosses the bridge of his nose and onto his cheeks. He gently nudges his shoulder, “Hey, wake up. We’re here.”

Noctis groans at his Shield, and his blue eyes flutter open. He squints at the man before him before gazing at the jacket on his lap, finally registering the weight of the fabric. Gladio can see his eyes minutely widen before he darts his attention to the larger man hovering above him.

He swears that he saw Noctis’s eyes linger on his chest.

“Why did you . . . ?” He asks, genuinely confused.

“Didn’t want you to get a sunburn.” Suddenly, Gladio feels the need to scratch his beard. “You, uh, still got one, though. On your face. You shouldn’t touch it for awhile.”

His breath catches in his throat when he sees Noctis smile. 

Noctis maneuvers himself out of the vehicle, and he returns his jacket to his Shield, nodding. His smile turns into a small frown of concern. “You probably shouldn’t touch yours, either. It looks kinda bad. Does it hurt?”

“Yeah, it does.” Gladio shifts his weight on his feet, grinning sheepishly, and he gratefully accepts his jacket. “But at least I don’t look like a tomato.”

“Hey!—”

“Aloe vera, you two?” Ignis sharply cuts into the conversation, who ruffled through the supplies in the regalia’s trunk.

 

That night in the motel, before he falls asleep and entwines around Noctis, Gladio hears the faintest whisper:

“Thank you.”


End file.
